The Kipp Spark Academy in Newark welcomed a new class of kindergarteners as well as returning students entering a new school year.

The school is celebrating its 10th year in operation.

Kipp Spark places its focus on its students graduating from college from day one.

Kipp Spark Academy principal Jenna Marcus said, “We use a ton of songs, a ton of chanting, our idea here is when kids love learning, they’re excited to learn, they come to school every day; we talk about kids running to school, that’s what we’re trying to build here, that love of learning.”

Kipp Spark has a longer school year than most schools, and Marcus claims that in addition to other nontraditional learning methods, the longer year leads to a college graduation rate four times higher than other schools.